stephens



(No Model.)

J. W.'STEPHENS.

SANITARY TONGS.

Patented Oct. 26, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

J UDSON IV. STEPHENS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. BARCLAY, OF SAME PLACE.

SANITARY TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,499, dated October 26, 1897.

Application filed October 8, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J UDSON W. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to sanitary tongs, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective device of this nature which may be employed in removing foreign matter bodily from a water-closet or other drainage.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side view of the complete device, the hidden portions of the mechanism being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device, showing the mechanism in full lines.

Referring now to the drawings,in construct ing a device in accordance with my invention I provide a tube a, having at one end outwardly-extending fingers b, the opposite end being slotted longitudinally at c. IVithin the tube a, is arranged a rod d, to the lower end of which are pivoted the links 6 and f of a pair of lazy-tongs, the coacting links 9 and h terminating beyond their-pivotal point i in fingers 7e and l, the former comprising a pair of digits and thelatter a single digit adapted to enter between the former digits when the tongs are extended. The rod d extends upwardly throughout the tube a and projects beyond its upper end, terminating in a knob m. Between the knob m and the upper edge of the tube ais arranged a helical spring 0, encircling the rod (Z. Thus it will be seen that by resting the knob m in the palm of the hand, with the fingers encircling the arms Z) Serial No. 608,227. (No model.)

of the tube a, the rod cl will be thrust into the tube and, by depressing the upper ends of the links 6 and f, will cause the lower end of the latter to press the upper end of the links g and h outwardly, causing the fingers 7c and Z to open due to arrangement of the pivot i of the latter, which is passed through the sides of the tube 19, and thus forms a fixed support for the lazy-tongs. When pressure is removed from the knob m, the spring 0 acts to raise the rod d, the result being to close the lazy-tongs and cause a gripping action of the fingers.

It will be readily understood that I may make my device of any material that may be desired and that I may vary the particular construction herein shown and described without departing in any way from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- In a device of the class described, the 00111- bination with a tube having a slotted lower end, and having arms extending laterally from its upper end, of a reciprocatory rod within the tube extending upwardly therefrom, a helical spring encircling the projecting end of the rod, said end being threaded, an adjusting-nut in engagement with the spring, the opposite end of which latter bears upon the upper end of the tube, a combined cap and jam-nut upon the upper extremity of the rod in engagement with the nut, clawlevers crossed and pivoted within the slot of the tube, and links pivoted to the inner ends of the lever and to the lower end of the rod.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JUDSON W. STEPHENS.

IVitncsses:

D. H. Sronrme, C. M. Cnusnn. 

